UU200 TUTORIAL EXERCISES (WEEK 3)

1. LECTURE OVERVIEW [Approx. Time 20 mins]

Your tutor will ask you some questions regarding the lectures this week. He/She will
briefly discuss the keywords and main content of the lecture. You may pose any
questions or queries about the lecture or course during this time.

2. ETHICAL THEORIES & PRINCIPLES - CONTEST [Approx. Time 1 hour]

Rules of the Contest: Tutors put students in five groups and use the following scenarios
for the ethical theories contest. Students will have 40 minutes to discuss the scenarios
and prepare their answers. Each group will answer two scenarios. Tutors will randomly
assign the scenarios starting with the first group.

Identify the reasoning used by the person in the following scenarios referring to general
ethical theories and their particular principles (use the ethical theories handout). Each
scenario is worth a total of 3 points. If your group Identifies the correct theory and can
also explain the reasoning behind the statement using a specific principle, you get full 3
points for that turn. If your group can only identify the correct theory, you get 1 point and
the next group will be asked to provide an explanation. If they get it right and fully explain,
they get 2 points. If they cannot provide a good explanation, then next group will have a
chance to get 1 point.

The group with the highest total point wins the contest. Remember there can be more
than one principle or theory used in each scenario. Use one or more of the following
theories for each scenario: UTILITARIANISM, DEONTOLOGY, ETHICS OF CARE,
VIRTUE THEORY, ETHICAL EGOISM, ALTRUISM

Scenarios

1. I am the Manager of Human Resources at USP. Each year I have to decide on staff
promotions and appraisals. While making my decision, I try my best to follow the
procedures and rules in place, check all the reports and student evaluations very carefully
and use my best judgment as this is what is required of a good and fair manager.

2. My pregnant wife told me that she has cancer. She needs an extensive and long
treatment at a hospital in New Zealand or Australia. I am a trusted employee of BSP and
I managed to embezzle funds (75000 FJD) from the accounts of our 2 richest customers.
I am aware that my action is unethical but as long as this saves my wife’s and unborn
child’s life, I am willing to pay for it in the future.

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3. I believe we should legalize abortion. Women should have the right to freely choose
whether or not to give birth. It is their life and therefore they must be allowed to use their
own judgment. The state on the other hand must not have the right to intervene in such
an important decision.

4. I think zoos are useful and necessary not only because of the entertainment they
produce but also because they teach our children about nature and wildlife. Even tougher,
it is evident that most of the animals in zoos are unhappy and unhealthy, children learn a
lot and appreciate wildlife more when they actually see these animals. Moreover, zoos
also provide shelter for some of the endangered species and generate job opportunities
for the locals.

5. I think it should be illegal to administer euthanasia on sick animals as the animals

cannot possibly know that they are terminally sick and autonomously consent to active
euthanasia. Therefore, human beings do not have the moral authority to kill sick animals.

6. As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of storms and cyclones, the
cost of insurance – particularly in at risk areas – is going to increase massively. This will
mean many homes and other property will have no financial protection against future
climate-caused losses.

7. I think gays and lesbians should be allowed to get married and adopt children. They
should be able to decide about their own future. Other people in society have no right to
intervene in this decision as it is one of the basic human freedoms to choose one’s life
partner.

8. I think this Ethics unit (UU200) must remain compulsory for all USP students. People
are not only engineers or architects or businessmen or cooks or doctors or teachers. They
are also fathers, mothers, voters, drivers, tourists, customers, and students. A person is
a whole and personal-intellectual development through critical thinking (not rules or rules
of conduct) is the key in learning how to be ethical in complex social and business
situations.

9. Human beings are the most destructive predators in Earth’s history. They have already
consumed or affected all habitats across the globe and caused the extinction or
endangerment of several animal species. This careless attitude must change right now
and animal rights must also be acknowledged.

10. I am a famous doctor working in Suva Private. I should always try my best to treat the
customers, oh sorry, I meant the patients. Medical malpractice may cause the doctor a
lot of trouble and possible imprisonment, and it is definitely bad for one’s career. I cannot
possibly tarnish my good reputation by making major mistakes.

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11. I am a very religious person. I try my best to go to mosque every day and pray to God.
I fast every day during Ramadan and give food to my friends and relatives for this is what
God had commanded. If I didn’t do all these, God may send me to Hell when the judgment
day comes. I don’t understand those non-believers, how can they not pray God and risk
being sent to Hell!

12. Fiji has a moral duty to accept climate change refugees from Kiribati and Tuvalu. It is
our obligation as their close neighbors (with similar cultural heritage) to provide them with
shelter, food, jobs and other basic necessities. For we know for sure that the sea level is
rising and most Pacific Island countries are genuinely and seriously affected by global
warming. I, for one, am ready to give a part of my land just outside Labasa to one of the
migrant families.

2. ETHICS OF CARE [Approx. time: 20 minutes]

Read the short excerpt below and relate your understanding of the theory of Ethics of
Care to an applied ethics issue, violence against women.

Violence against women reports escalating in Tonga

The Commander of the Tongan Police force, Chris Kelley, reported that the rate of
violence against women in Tonga has almost quadrupled in the past ten years. Reported
cases of violence against women rose from 113 incidents in 2000 to 404 in 2009. On
average, approximately 22 women a month report an incident of violence to the police.
Existing legislation in Tonga is now being reviewed with regard to domestic violence. To
date, there is no specific legislation to address domestic violence but it is included under
assault in the Criminal Offences Act.

(Story content from Radio Australia, Pacific Beat, May 20, 2010 10:52:35,
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201005/s2904312.htm)

Identify two reasons why cases of violence against women in Tonga are escalating at
an alarming rate.
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Discuss the issue of violence against women in relation to two principles from the Ethics
of Care theory.

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What can Tonga and other Pacific Island countries do to reduce the instances of
violence against women?
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3. CHARACTER, CONDUCT, LAW AND CULTURE [Approx. time: 30 minutes]

In 1990, the Village Fono Act was passed in Samoa. Under this act, the fono (village
council) was given power to deal with the traditional and customary affairs of the
village.
In September 1993, a Western Samoan matai, Nu’ utai Mafulu Matauita, was shot dead
in front of this family. His house and property were also destroyed. This act was carried
out under the authority of the fa’amatai (Samoan traditional system). Matautia had
recently returned from New Zealand to Lona village. Here he set up a shop and a small
bus service. After some disputes with the matai in the village, including his refusal to pay
fines imposed by the fono, a ban was placed on his shop and bus service. This ill feeling
was worsened by the fact that Matautia had recently entered a cricket tournament as a
player for a rival village. In this tournament, Lona village was beaten by the rival village
which then went on to win the competition. The dispute escalated late in September when
Matautia stopped a villager from crossing his property. Finally Matautia was confronted
by a group of villagers. After they burnt his property, he was shot by two untitled men.
His body was dumped before the gathering of the matai. Western Samoa’s Police
Commissioner described this incident as justice in ‘an old barbaric Samoan way’.

(Summarised from Lawson, S. 1996. Tradition versus Democracy in the South Pacific. Cambridge
University Press, Melbourne).

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How many wrongs were committed in the case above? (List these.)
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Use the theory of consequentialism to discuss the actions of the Fono.

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Discuss the character of an individual or group in the case above using the theory of
ethical egoism.

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Do you think the Fono Act violates the individual rights of Samoans? Explain fully using
a rights-based approach to ethics.

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